#espncomdrafttracker

Stuart "Smush" Parker is indeed a Fordham Graduate. After playing in the NBA, the now 41 year old went back to finish up his degree. That's Really Cool! 😀

Parker, was a 6-foot-4 point guard, who entered the NBA draft in 2002.  At the time, ESPN,com Draft Tracker had this to say about him: "Smush Parker is a true point guard, but also proved he could score at the Division I level in just his first season at Fordham by netting 20 or more points in eight games and leading the Rams in scoring 16.5 points per game. Parker was named Atlantic 10 2nd team as a sophomore."

A Gifted Ball-handler.

He scored in double figures in 24 of 28 games at Fordham, but also was sixth in the A-10 with 125 assists and third in the conference with 2.3 steals a game. Parker arrived at Fordham after transferring from Southern Idaho College. He is also known for his playground heroics in New York City, where he was raised watching his father play at the West Forth Street Ball Court in downtown Manhattan. (Also known as The Cage.)

Smush Parker Fordham - Google Search

Positives: There is a buzz on Parker that is unlike a number of other unheralded players. Parker has a rep out of high school and was able to be one of the top scorers at Fordham. But he didn't do enough with the Rams to generate a definite first-round pick. He needs to prove he's a consistent scorer who can play either guard spot.

Negatives: If he couldn't dominate in the Atlantic 10, then can Parker be a contributor in the NBA? That's the question NBA scouts are wondering. He could have really helped himself by returning to Fordham and he has left open the possibility by not signing with an agent.

Summary: It would be a reach for him to get into the first round. Parker is more of a second-round pick, but might not even go through with the whole process if he can't play in Chicago. Enforcing the rule that would mean sitting games next season for playing in the pre-draft camp could force him to make a decision earlier than expected. ( http://www.espn.com/nbadraft/tracker/player?id=18328)

Despite going undrafted, he played 5 seasons in the NBA.

His career included stops in Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles and Miami. His most productive season was definitely 2005-2006 where he started all 82 regular season games and each of the 7 playoff games for the LA Lakers. That year he had a career high in Points Per Games (11.5) as well as Assists, Rebounds and Steals. 

When his playing days had ended in the NBA he played overseas in China, Russia, Greece, Iran and finally Mon-Altius Madimos Falcons of the Mongolian National Basketball Association in 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smush_Parker#cite_note-10

The 16-year professional basketball veteran is working towards a career as a NBA official perfecting his craft in the The Basketball League (formerly North America Premier Basketball). 

Described in the league’s literature “our vision to be a ‘showcase league’ where players become more than players.”

He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Fordham College at Rose Hill where he majored in Computer Science in 2021. https://forever.fordham.edu/s/1362/18/interior.aspx?sid=1362&gid=1&pgid=275&cid=735&mid=407841#/PersonalProfile

When I asked if his Twitter Handle (@SmushParker21) was related to his going back to school and graduating with the Class of ‘21, he replied: “21 is the number I once wore at Fordham.” That works too.

-Kevin Bergin

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